Best of the Week: Infrared Spectral Recognition, Google Interview, Dual-Comb Absorption Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy published stories this work that covered topics such as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, near-IR spectroscopy, and UV excitation.
This week, Spectroscopy published a variety of articles on the hottest topics in analytical spectroscopy and beyond. These articles highlight a wide range of spectroscopic techniques and application areas. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular articles, according to our readers and subscribers. Happy reading!
AI-Based Neural Networks Revolutionize Infrared Spectra Analysis
A researcher from Lomonosov Moscow State University has developed a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra recognition (1). This AI-based system can classify 17 functional groups and 72 coupling oscillations with remarkable accuracy, providing a significant boost to material analysis in fields like organic chemistry, materials science, and biology (1).
How Google is Using Optical Sensors in its Wearable Technology
In this interview, associate editorial director Caroline Hroncich and senior technical editor Jerome Workman, Jr. spoke with Pete Richards, senior staff research scientist at Google, to discuss how the company is using light technology in its Fitbit and other wearable devices (2).
Deep Learning Advances Gas Quantification Analysis in Near-Infrared Dual-Comb Spectroscopy
Researchers from Tsinghua University and Beihang University in Beijing have developed a deep-learning-based data processing framework that significantly improves the accuracy of dual-comb absorption spectroscopy (DCAS) in gas quantification analysis (3). By using a U-net model for etalon removal and a modified U-net combined with traditional methods for baseline extraction, their framework achieves high-fidelity absorbance spectra, even in challenging conditions with complex baselines and etalon effects (3).
The study investigated the optical properties of mixed crude oil by measuring the optical constants of samples composed of two crude oils mixed in various proportions. Using the double-thickness transmittance method based on transmittance spectra in the 420–900 nm wavelength range, the researchers measured the transmittance spectra of mixed crude oil and quartz samples (4). They calculated the refractive indexes and absorption coefficients for these samples, finding that in the 610–850 nm range, the refractive indexes of the optical cell were between 1.4345 and 1.4729, with absorption coefficients from 7.09E-8 to 2.43E-7 (4). For mixed crude oil, refractive indexes ranged from 1.5132 to 2.2233, and absorption coefficients from 3.66E-07 to 1.27E-06 (4). Errors in the calculations were minimal, between 0.0243 and 0.1, attributed to measurement inaccuracies and sample absorption. The study also concluded that there is no linear relationship between the optical constants and the mixing ratio of the samples (4).
Unveiling the Mysteries of Scorpion Fluorescence: Insights from Ultraviolet Excitation
A recent study from researchers at East China Normal University examined scorpion fluorescence across different UV bands, discovering complex fluorescence dynamics within various body segments of adult scorpions. Because scorpion exoskeletons offer unique benefits to this creature, studying the arachnid’s biological processes is of interest to researchers (5). Their findings challenge previous understanding of scorpion fluorescence and offer insights into the biological significance of this phenomenon (5).
References
(1) Workman, Jr., J.; AI-Based Neural Networks Revolutionize Infrared Spectra Analysis. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/ai-based-neural-networks-revolutionize-infrared-spectra-analysis (accessed 2024-05-15).
(2) Hroncich, C.; Workman, Jr., J. How Google is Using Optical Sensors in its Wearable Technology. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/how-google-is-using-optical-sensors-in-its-wearable-technology (accessed 2024-05-15).
(3) Workman, Jr., J. Deep Learning Advances Gas Quantification Analysis in Near-Infrared Dual-Comb Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/deep-learning-advances-gas-quantification-analysis-in-near-infrared-dual-comb-spectroscopy (accessed 2024-05-15).
(4) Qi, H.; Li, H.; Wang, Q.; Li, H.; Zhang, X. Optical Constants of Mixed Crude Oil in Visible Waveband Based on the Double-Thickness Transmittance Method. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/optical-constants-of-mixed-crude-oil-in-visible-waveband-based-on-the-double-thickness-transmittance-method (accessed 2024-05-16).
(5) Wetzel, W. Unveiling the Mysteries of Scorpion Fluorescence: Insights from Ultraviolet Excitation. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/unveiling-the-mysteries-of-scorpion-fluorescence-insights-from-ultraviolet-excitation (accessed 2024-05-16).
Scientists Unveil Better Mixing Rule for Absorption Spectroscopy of Aerosols and Colloids
June 16th 2025Researchers have introduced a simple yet powerful new rule based on Rayleigh scattering theory that accurately links the absorption behavior of composite media, like aerosols or colloids, to the properties of their nanoparticle constituents.
Short Tutorial: Complex-Valued Chemometrics for Composition Analysis
June 16th 2025In this tutorial, Thomas G. Mayerhöfer and Jürgen Popp introduce complex-valued chemometrics as a more physically grounded alternative to traditional intensity-based spectroscopy measurement methods. By incorporating both the real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index of a sample, this approach preserves phase information and improves linearity with sample analyte concentration. The result is more robust and interpretable multivariate models, especially in systems affected by nonlinear effects or strong solvent and analyte interactions.
